After years of contacting police, lawyers and babysitters about Dez Bryant, Jerry Jones apparently now is seeking help from dead people.

The Dallas Cowboys' star owner and receiver have developed a pregame ritual the past few weeks. Jones holds his hands in front of his stomach with his palms facing upward. Bryant comes over and touches them with his hands.

Dez Bryant and Jerry Jones a match made in heaven? It's looking that way in Dallas. (AP Photo)

"It's like a séance," Jones said. "I say, 'I see three, I see receptions, I see scores today.' Just some kidding going on there."

The Cowboys' leading problem child not only has been playing like an All-Pro, he's been conducting himself in a professional manner. The pouter who couldn't hold onto the ball is catching everything despite having a broken index finger.

Frankly, it's a bit disappointing. At least if you like to see seltzer bottles blow up in the clown's face. But the Dez Circus has shut down.

That must be killing Cowboys haters. I'm not a Cowboys hater, I just like picking on people who deserve it. And few characters have been so pick-able than Jerruh.

The Cowboys' self-appointed GM has seen his team win one playoff game since 1996. Bryant turned 8 that year. He acted 8 for the next 15.

If Bryant wasn't getting thrown out of malls for wearing saggy pants, he was getting speeding tickets, stiffing jewelers for 500 grand worth of earrings and necklaces or getting into fights at South Beach nightclubs.

It might have been unfair to pick on a guy who was born to a mother who reportedly was 14 years old at the time and later went to prison for dealing drugs. Being borderline homeless in high school can scar anyone.

But a lot of people sucked it up and overcame misfortune. And they didn't have $8.4 million and teams of tutors, coaches and mentors willing to help them.

At some point, you have to get yourself out of diapers or you deserve the ridicule. Bryant seemed so hopeless that even Deion Sanders shooed him out from under his wing.

"Everybody is worried. I think the Dallas Cowboys are more concerned than I am," Sanders said. "I had to cut my umbilical cord with him because of a lot of things people don't know about."

That was last summer, before Bryant had his driver's license suspended for too many tickets and was arrested after allegedly slapping his mother.

Luckily for Dez, Jerruh still saw hope. More precisely, he still saw ungodly talent, so he was willing to overlook almost everything else. JJ did institute the Dez Rules this year:

There would be no booze or strip clubs. Bryant had to be in before midnight and attend twice-a-week counseling. A rotating three-man security detail would escort him to practices, games and team functions.

That's no way to treat a self-respecting 24-year-old man, but we're talking Dez here. We skeptics expected another Pacman Jones ending and another chance to make fun of Father Flanagan in the owner's skybox.

But lookee here. Bryant has 10 touchdown catches in the past seven games. He had nine catches for 224 yards against the Saints, all with a broken left index finger.